Thermal Hydraulics Intern

This is a Full-time 16-month role commencing May 2026

Come join us at Terrestrial Energy, a US developer of advanced, Generation IV nuclear reactors.  We are growing our workforce to develop and deploy our Integral Molten Salt Reactor (IMSR) small modular nuclear plant to provide cost-competitive, clean firm heat and power to industry.

The Company has recently completed a merger creating a publicly listed operating company  (NASDAQ “IMSR”), to secure the capital resources for our next growth phase.  With the current alignment of US Federal and State government, as well as industry interest in Small Modular Reactor (SMR) and advanced reactor technologies such as Terrestrial Energy’s IMSR, there is today a unique and compelling opportunity to participate in the execution of the company’s growth business plan.

The Company is building a team of high-performing business professionals and leaders in engineering, R&D, product management and business development areas at our Charlotte, North Carolina headquarters and future project sites.  We are looking for talented individuals who can help build the organization, processes, and goal-orientated corporate culture to lead the company in our expansion.  We are seeking people who:

Have US market experience and perspectives bringing good judgement and innovative approaches to problem solving and business plan execution.

Have demonstrated exceptional performance in past engineering projects.

Offer exceptional leadership and team building capabilities.

Have a deep understanding of the requirements for advanced reactor development.

Can assist in the creation of the discipline and organized company structure, and contributed to a culture of excellence, necessary for the development and deployment of the Company’s IMSR plant.

Can thrive in a fast growing and opportunity business environment, and are capable of flexibility and adaptability at a time of organizational change.

Have the specific skillset and experience for the following role:

The Thermal Hydraulics Intern, under the direction of the Thermal Hydraulics manager, is primarily responsible for the design and analysis of the fundamental heat transfer systems of the company reactor technology and supporting licensing activities. The successful candidate will perform fundamental analyses of heat generation and fluid flow within the reactor core and supporting heat transfer systems, through calculations and software modelling, contributing to the various operating states of the company reactor technology as well as safety analyses of advanced molten salt reactor design.

Other Responsibilities Include:

Modeling and Simulation

Develop thermal hydraulic models in system level thermal hydraulic codes such as Flownex and GOTHIC

Perform steady state and transient simulations, sensitivity analysis, and optimization studies to improve designs

Perform hand calculations and employ software for basic thermal hydraulic systems such as heat and mass balances and heat exchangers

Develop code in various programming languages to support simulations

Perform code-to-code validation with CFD models

Documentation and Reporting

Prepare simulation results reports, assessment reports and design documents

Create clear visualizations and presentations of simulation results to peers and management to support decision making

Review research on existing methodologies and operation experience related to nuclear engineering and molten salt applications

Collaboration

Work closely with members of the Thermal hydraulic team, as well as cross-collaboration with the R&D, Physics, Safety, and Mechanical disciplines

Support design by participating in design reviews and technical meetings

Interface with external partners including national laboratories

Core Competencies:

Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer

Fluid Dynamics

Simulation experience

Power plant engineering

Communication

Critical Thinking

Decision Making 

Problem Solving

Results Orientation

Team player with the ability to collaborate and interact with other groups

Flexible and adaptable to change

Requirements:

Education

Actively working towards an undergraduate or graduate degree in mechanical, chemical or nuclear engineering, or science degree. Senior students preferred.

Experience

Project or co-op experience involving fluid dynamics and heat transfer principles

Experience with code or software solving 1-dimensional thermal hydraulic systems

Technical Skills

Strong analytical and problem-solving skills

Working knowledge of any programming language such as C#, C++ or Python

Extensive knowledge of thermodynamics and heat transfer fundamentals

Experience with data analysis and validation

Skills and ability to learn new technology

Strong problem identification and problem resolution skills

Professional Skills

Clear technical writing and documentation skills

Strong attention to detail and commitment to quality

Flexibility to adjust to shifting priorities and deadlines

Exceptional interpersonal and communication (both written and verbal) skills

Skilled at developing and maintaining strong relationships across all levels of the organization and with external customers and vendors

Assets:

Working knowledge of system level thermal hydraulic codes such as Flownex, GOTHIC, or RELAP5 Experience with CAD software (SolidWorks, Inventor, or similar)

Familiarity with data analysis or FEA tools (ANSYS, MATLAB)

Education in the nuclear field

Working toward a professional engineering designation

Design / refurbishment experience of nuclear reactors

Knowledge of molten salt nuclear reactor working principles

Knowledgeable in the working principles of pumps and heat exchangers

 Benefits:

Mentoring/Coaching with Senior Employees/Leaders

Collaborative and supportive work environment

Opportunities to network across departments

Hands-on experience with real projects

Please submit a Resume, Cover Letter, and Transcripts (Unofficial copies are acceptable at this stage.)

Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the US without the need for sponsorship for employment visa status.

Terrestrial Energy requires that the successful candidate be able to access and use information subject to U.S. Export Control Laws, which mandate all citizenships (including dual citizenships) be from the U.S. Department of Energy’s List of Generally Authorized Countries (10 CFR Part 810 Appendix A and can be found here:
eCFR :: Appendix A to Part 810, Title 10 -- Generally Authorized Destinations

unless a specific authorization from the U.S. Department of Energy is obtained or unless you are a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, U.S. permanent resident, or protected individual under the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Act (8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)).

Additional information can be found here: 

https://www.energy.gov/nnsa/10-cfr-part-810.

Terrestrial Energy Inc. is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of any legally protected status or group.  We encourage applications from all qualified individuals. 

If you require accommodation during the application or interview process, please advise us as soon as possible so appropriate arrangements can be made. If you require technical support in a format that is accessible to you, please contact [email protected]